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Parthe
The people of Parthe, living on the far eastern corner of the known world, expanded rapidly under a centralizing government and funded by plantations of indigo. Raided by the Zarcasen in the north, they responded by eventually conquering all of Zarcasca. The foundation of new cities not only secured their new lands and conquests, but also formed centers of trade and new ways of thought. Most significantly is the Archives of the Jarceun, the trading center of Tarwa, and their new capital of Zarpe. After a period of instability, the female King Comden Ruturwen established a new dynasty, instituted a code of laws, and made final preparations to thrust Parthe into world affairs. Although her son king Wertus Dascawen was in many ways a failure, her dynamic grandson King Genda Dascawen has achived much as Crown Prince in the Opening of the Gate, and looks to achieve much more on the throne. Geography Centered on a large island (termed the "Nearlands") in the far east, Partheca currently has no direct land borders. It has recently expanded over nearby lands (such as Tarat, Tyrsias and Maraida) to dominate the local neighborhood. To the east it faces the Kitaluk and to the west, across the Acayan sea, it faces Acajuren Republic and the Lesan Kingdom. History Legendary Partheca The first tribes to end their wandering lifestyle did so at the city of Parta, and begun civilization based on a union of three huge tribes united by blood in a series of marriages. By blood, by arms, and by bronze the legendary Parca, or the Old Kingdom of Partheca, expanded across the entire island, brining their collectivist family values and the nearly separated but equaly important wandering family caravans across the southern half of the island. However, as tin mines run out and disease struck, Parta lost its importance as the center of manufacturing and government, slowly decaying as one homestead after another found themselves independent. The Dark Ages Lasting between ten years and a hundred generations depending on the tale, the Dark Ages was a violent time of incessant conflict between shrinking homesteads, punctuated by Zarcascen invasions. During this time, the Kitaluk made first contact with Partheca and begun to trade with Parta. With the new trade, the situation begun to stabilize and Parta became the center of a new power struggle over trade routes leading in land. Gandoros Thewen and the Second Founding Gandoros known as the founder of the Second, or New, Kingdom of Partheca. He sold himself to Kitaluk merchants as a slave, earned his freedom, and brought back the secrets of Iron. Winning the leadership of Parta, he used Iron as the center of a new strategy. Although he did not progress beyond what was directly necessary to feed the reviving city, he did established new institutions. Especially noteworthy was the foundation of mercantile "guilds", which were once reserved for complex trades and brotherhoods. After Gandoros, trade revived but political borders did not spread far. Somehow, the "Thousand Sons" strategy of Old Partheca to control the island failed to materialize. The Plague A Plague arrived from Kitaluk to Parthe, from Parthe to Leun, and from Leun to the rest of the known world. Partheca seems to be on the verge of a second collapse when the three major clans of the capital made peace with a "political guild". These clans experimented and discovered several plantation crops, especially Indigo- and thus Plantation Landlordism is born. Using this new institution and granting power to the "mercantile guilds", the revitalized Kingdom of Partheca begun something that the Iron-aged nation has never done before- an attempt to reconquer and resettle all the lands of the Legendary Partheca. The New Age The Kingdom of Parthe expanded quickly, sending out explorers, envoys and settlers across the island. Towards the south and west they discovered kindred spirits living in isolated homesteads. They were soon incorporated via marraige and organized into various governing guilds. However, expansion northward soon struck the feared Zarcasen. What resulted was an intermittent war which lasted the entirety of The New Age. The foundation of Tarwa and the Archives are the high points of the New Age, both under "The Young King" Dawentar Thewen. Under his rule, Parthe participated in her first foreign adventures, fought and won against the Zarcasen again and again, and lived in peace and prosperity. The societal distabilization of the Guilds and the Royal Army are felt, but can yet be ignored. Dynastic Struggles When Dawentar died, there was no hint of the dynastic struggle that soon followed. That came when his son, the Crown Prince Kansutdo, was gored by a boar, and then his uncles, the most legitimate successors, both died within days of each other. Parthe fell into confusion during this Decade of Eleveen Kings. Brief periods of stability soon fell apart. The various descendents of Dawentar begun fighting and even murdering each other for the throne. During the last few years, Trials by Combat once more came to the fore. It was during such a trial that Comden Ruturwen, daughter of a minor noble house, concubine to a short-lived king, and owner of no royal blood, became King. Comden Dascawen and the Third Founding Comden Ruturwen (who renamed herself Dascawen) saw the inherent instability caused by the clash of traditions and a vague understanding of laws. One of her first reforms was organizing and recording inheritance laws of the kingdom. Working closely with archive scholars and with parca legend weavers, she soon codified many other laws as well. Recognizing the relative efficiency the of civilian government during the Decade of Eleveen Kings, as well as the instability of the improvised government, she established and codified a new bureocracy based on her royal court, the archives, and the guilds. Finally, she lessened tensions of Parthecan society through oversight of the Guild's mercantile actions, as well as the Military's occupation of Zarcasca. Wertus and the North Opening of the Gate Recent List of Kings Note: All dates SR. Thewen Dynasty *'Gandoros Thewen (?-430s)' - A bronzeworker who traveled with the Kitaluk to learn the secrets of Iron. Defeating the squabbling prefects of Parta, he named himself King of Parthe. He is known as the Second Founder for brining Parthe out of the dark ages and for establishing the Thewen Dynasty. *Short-lived and unimportant kings whose successive attempts to expand the Second Kingdom failed or was lost during the Eastern Plague. *'Wendicas Thewen (468-476)'- Ruled during the Eastern Plague, developed the "Guild of Governors", or the Hasnuencas, which begun the the expansion of Parthe. His rule preserved Parthecan resources for the great expansion that is to come. *Short-lived and unimportant kings who refined the Guild of Governors. *'Jarshuan Thewen (502-531)'- Ruled over the great expansion of Parthe, and the development of the merchant Taparsesunuen . He was personally isolationist and delegated foreign policy to his son, Dawentar. *'Dawentar Thewen (529-553)' - Last of the Thewen Dynasty, sought a more expansionist foreign policy. Dawentar established Tarwa, and it became his defacto capital. He was known as the "Young King", both for the young age at which he took office, his experience at management during his youth, as well as surrounding himself with older uncles and advisors. Thewen Dynastic Crisis: Decade of Eleven Kings *'Kansutdo Thewen (553)' - Crown Prince, gored by a Boar during a hunt after his coronation. *'Sarca Thewen (553-554)' - Brother of the Dawentar and leader of Parthe's armies in Zarcasca. He died of choking on a fish bone. *'Parca Thewen (553-554)' - Brother of the Dawentar and leader of the Parthecan fleet. He died of falling asleep on the top of the stairs, and breaking his neck on the way down. *'Sacmuzak Nuencaswen' (554) - Son of Kansutdo. He gains the throne through Hasnuencascan's wealth. He proved to be extremely inept, and was exiled to Teoras after Harca's coup. *'Harca Sarwen (554-556)' - Son of Sarca, launched a coup against Sacmuzak with his veterans from Gadia. He died of gangrene from a training wound after nearly a year of agony, but not before he established a permanent military camp-city at Zarpe. He died on a day when the spirits of the soldiers who die in bed are dispersed with mock battle, in the late winter. Comden was one of his concubines. *'Gorgos Sarwen (556)' - Son of Harca, reactionary, ordered all ships to be handed over to his new Government-Guild. Died of panic attack induced by the sight of his blood from a nosebleed. He died on a day when the people celebrate the girl who became women and fertile by bleeding during the winter, in the early spring. *'Pacraz Sarwen (556)' - Son of Harca, accidentally murdered Gorgos in the streets (by punching him in the nose) and rode the popularity onto the Throne. He is a pimp and a fop, and quickly bankrupts the government. He died of alcohol poisoning and fever. He died on the day when merchants dress in rags to beg and fast to pay for a year of greed. *'Dasutdan Parwen (556)' - Son of Parca, orders the sons of Harca to all be exiled to Teoras. Famed for his brutal tax collecting strategies (which may have been needed after Pacraz's spending) during the harvest season, as well as crushing the Zarcasen north of Zarpe. He died during a riot on a day when the government opens the granaries to the poor during the non-growing season to placate the gods, which marks the beginning of winter festivities. *'Jorgeh Sarwen (557-559)' - Son of Gorgos, “The Aitahist”, he converted in 558 and built a temple, ordering compulsory conversion for his government in 559, proclaiming a Kitaluk medicine-girl to be Aitah and inviting her to his private chambers, where she killed him with pillow over the mouth while he was napping. Dascawen Dynasty *'Comden Dascawen (559-598)' - The sister-in-law of Dasutdan Parwen and concubine of Harca Sarwen, Comden became king after slaying her brother in single combat, and adopted the style of king, founding a new dynasty. She introduced sweeping reforms of Parthecan society, and can be largely credited with bringing it to a position of relevance on the world stage, before finally dying in the late sixth century. For her reforms and her new dynasty, she is known as the Third Founder of Parthe. *'Wertus Dascawen (598-621)' - The direct son of King Comden, Wertus rose to the throne after an unlikely succession struggle, and never really earned the affection of his people. Nevertheless, his reign did not see a decline in Parthe's fortunes; he launched numerous expeditions to the north and far west, making contact with the Gallatenes, Satar, and Carohans. He would become obsessed with the search for immortality and alchemy late in life. *'Genda Dascawen (621-) '- Dynamic and enterprising son of Wertus Dascawen, he led successfully won concessions for Partheca in The Opening of the Gate. Culture Parthe's culture, compared to the rest of the world, is alien and often non-intuitive. It is important to look at the basis of Parthecan culture, and connect idiosyncracies in terms of this base. Parthecans inherently disbelieve the existance of individuals. Category:Parthe Category:Countries Category:Athis